The present invention is generally directed towards a display cabinet and particularly a commercial display cabinet having an internal lighting system and assembly.
A wide variety of commercial display cabinets exists. One common type of a refrigerated display cabinet includes a cabinet frame which extends generally about the periphery of the front of the display cabinet. The frame includes an upper frame member, a lower frame member, two laterally spaced side frame members extending vertically between the upper and the lower frame members, and a center mullion which extends vertically between the upper frame member and the lower frame member and connected thereto. The mullion provides support for the cabinet frame, associated doors, and also provides a sealing surface against which portions of the door assemblies engage and seal for effective sealing of the refrigerated cabinet. Typically, mullions are also equipped with electrical conduits for delivering electrical power to anti-condensation devices for the door assemblies and for a fluorescent lighting fixture associated with the mullion.
One popular design for a refrigerator or freezer cabinet frame assembly provides for one central mullion, a door stop for a pair of doors, each door pair member being mounted to a respective front edge of the display cabinet. Thus, the doors open from the front center of the cabinet with the left opening door pair member having hinge pins on the left side of the door and the right opening door pair member having hinge pins on the right side of the door. The central mullion provides a gasket covered surface and support for engaging and securing the doors in a closed position.
A fluorescent light is typically mounted on the rear surface of the center mullion so as to illuminate the interior of the display cabinet. Proper illumination of the merchandise present within the display cabinet is important so as to maintain an attractive product appearance and to allow a customer to visually locate merchandise within the cabinets prior to opening the cabinet door. Various louvered reflectors have been disposed inside the cabinet to redirect the light within the cabinet. As such, it is desirable to provide a refrigerated display cabinet having a lighting assembly which improves the illumination of the cabinet merchandise.
The construction and components used in an illuminated refrigeration or freezer display cabinet are well known in the art. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,471,372 to Mamelson et al. and 5,879,070 to Severloh, are directed to the construction of lighted refrigerated display cases, these references being incorporated herein by this reference.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved refrigerated display case having a central vertical mullion spaced opposite the handle portion of adjacent side pivoted doors is provided. The central mullion is secured at its top and its bottom to the cabinet frame, and a pair of rectangular doors are mounted to opposite sides of the frame on vertical hinge axes for swinging movement between open positions and closed positions. In the closed position, the central mullion defines a front surface adapted to seal with the rectangular door inner surface. The central mullion is generally rectangular and hollow and has a front surface facing outwardly of the cabinet assembly, a back surface facing inwardly of the cabinet assembly, the two sides of the mullion being open and adapted for receiving a fluorescent lighting assembly. The lighting assembly positions a fluorescent bulb within each side of the center mullion whereby the bulb may be easily accessed and replaced. This placement also allows a significant portion of the bulbs"" illumination to be directed towards and reflect from the interior glass door surface and thereby increase the effective illumination within the cabinet""s interior. An outer protective lens is removable to access the light assembly components. In one embodiment of the invention, the leading edge of each door is canted outwardly forming an approximate 77.5 degree angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a plane defined by a rear cabinet wall.